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St Nektarios church in Wollongong rejoins the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

Andriana Simos
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St Nektarios church in Wollongong rejoins the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

After five decades of division and discord, the schismatic community and parish of St Nektarios in Wollongong, NSW, has officially returned to the fold of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

This decision to rejoin the Archdiocese was made in November 2020 during an Annual General Meeting of the St Nektarios Board Committee, but His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia made his first historic visit to the church on Sunday, June 6, to officially mark the momentous occasion.

Also present on the day were a number of political representatives and religious leaders including, but not limited to, the Mayor of Shellharbour, Cr Marianne Saliba, the NSW MP Mr Paul Scully, Ms Alison Byrnes, representing Federal MP, the Hon Sharon Bird, His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, His Grace Bishop Emilianos of Meloa and the Archepiscopal Vicar of Canberra and Tasmania, Very Reverend Prochoros Anastasiadis.

The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Photos supplied.

Official proceedings on the day began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, presided over by Archbishop Makarios, Bishop Iakovos and Bishop Emilianos.

This was followed by a number of speeches from the President of the Community of St Nektarios, Arthur Tzortzis, the parish priest, Father Anastasios, and Archbishop Makarios himself.

“We look forward to working together [with the Archdiocese] for the future of our Greek heritage, our Orthodox religion and our grandchildren,” Mr Tzortzis told The Greek Herald after the event.

Attendees on the day. Photo supplied.

For his part, Archbishop Makarios was clearly moved on the day by the fact that another community had been reinstated within the canonical jurisdiction of the Church, and thanked the community for their hard work in helping achieve the reunification.

“You managed, despite the difficulties, enmities, egos and practical obstacles… to leave the lie, the schism and division and to come to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church…” Archbishop Makarios said in his speech.

“Our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the first to congratulate you along with the Holy and Sacred Synod of our Ecumenical Patriarchate and all the clergy and the Orthodox people of Australia rejoice with us today.

  • Photos supplied.

“I confess with all my sincerity that, from today, our Archdiocese becomes spiritually brighter because yet another schism has been erased and has disappeared.”

Mr Tzortzis and the Vice President of the Community, Kathy Tzanis, later presented Archbishop Makarios with an engolpion as an expression of gratitude for his role in bridging the divisions and in remembrance of this historic day for their parish and community.

The celebration ended with a meal given in honour of the Archbishop who, together with all those present, had the opportunity to take pride in the youth that presented traditional Greek dances.

A lunch was held after the liturgy. Photo supplied.

Rising Greek tennis star, Michaela Laki, through to next round of Roland Garros Juniors

The Greek Herald
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Rising Greek tennis star, Michaela Laki, through to next round of Roland Garros Juniors

Rising Greek tennis star, Michaela Laki, is through to the next round of the Roland Garros Juniors competition in France after she beat Sofia Kostoula, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(1), on Monday.

In what is the first Grand Slam tournament of Laki’s career, she played an amazing game against Kostoula where despite losing the first set, she came back fighting to claim the match.

From the start, Kostoula had the upper hand in the first set, as she led 3-1 and had a break lead for most of the set. The 16-year-old Belgian, who is of Greek origin on her father’s side, was ahead even with 5-3.

Laki, who had to erase a break point at 2-4 to avoid being left behind with a double break, managed to keep the difference in one break and in the 10th game made the break back, which put her back in the game (5-5). She then kept her serve in a big game and went ahead for the first time in the 3rd set, at 6-5.

At this stage, Kostoula asked for medical attention for cramps, but according to regulations she could not get help and medical time out for such a problem. She continued to play and managed to send it to the tie-break, but Laki dominated and prevailed 7-1. 

This victory saw Laki qualify for the “16” best of Roland Garros.

In the next round, she will have an even more difficult mission, as she will face No. 6 seed in the world ranking of juniors, Robin Montgomery.

Source: tennisnews.gr.

AFP raids Emmanuel Vamvoukakis’ home over alleged plot to import cocaine from Greece

The Greek Herald
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AFP raids Emmanuel Vamvoukakis’ home over alleged plot to import cocaine from Greece

A high-ranking Comanchero bikie has been arrested after the National Anti Gangs Squad allegedly busted him trying to import cocaine from Greece, The Daily Telegraph has reported.

Police swooped on Emmanuel Vamvoukakis, 40, in a major operation at Mt Keira on Sunday, after police allege he attempted to import cocaine into Australia via offshore Greece.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Vamvoukakis — who police say is the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Comanchero South Coast chapter — was charged with four offences.

This includes: import marketable quantity of border controlled drug; deal with proceeds of crime; direct activities to aid or risk aiding a criminal organisation and; intend as instrument of crime money or property worth $50,000 or more.

READ MORE: Angelo Pandeli named in Australian cartel responsible for $1.5 billion drug imports.

AFP officers, along with NSW police raided Mr Vamvoukakis’s home on June 6. Picture: Generic/ Lillian Watkins.

The 40-year-old faced Wollongong Local Court on Monday, where he chose not to apply for bail, with his lawyer indicating they would make an application for his release next week.

Police will allege Mr Vamvoukakis paid an associate in Greece $50,000 for 1kg of cocaine, which would be delivered in aluminium tins to a Sanctuary Point home.

It’s also alleged he tried to recruit other people to take the “parcel” after it had arrived in the country in exchange for $10,000.

The arrest is one of many made as part of Operation Ironside. This police operation has seen Australia’s underworld, including the Mafia, bikie and global gang heavyweights, tricked into delivering their criminal plans straight into the hands of detectives through an AFP and FBI secret AN0M app.

As part of Ironside, police seized guns and other weapons and drugs. Picture: The Daily Telegraph.

More than 100 people have been charged, 3366kg of drugs and $35.8m in cash seized, 72 firearms confiscated and 1650 devices with the encrypted app.

Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, said today the “operation puts Australia at the forefront of the fight against criminals.”

“Today, the Australian Government, as part of a global operation, has struck a heavy blow against organised crime – not just in this country, but one that will echo around organised crime around the world,” he said.

“This is a watershed moment in Australian law enforcement history.”

FULL STORY: The Daily Telegraph.

Greece tells migrants from five countries to seek asylum in Turkey

The Greek Herald
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Greece tells migrants from five countries to seek asylum in Turkey

Greece on Monday designated neighbouring Turkey as a safe country in which to seek international protection for the majority of asylum-seekers departing its shores for Greece.

A joint decree from the Greek foreign and migration ministries said the designation applies to asylum-seekers from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Somalia.

It said Turkey meets all criteria to examine asylum requests from these nationals, as there “they are not in any danger… due to their race, religion, citizenship, political beliefs or membership in some particular social group, and can seek asylum in Turkey instead of in Greece.”

READ MORE: New digital barriers aim to deter migrants from entering EU illegally.

That, in theory, could reduce migration flows to European Union member Greece, as it would allow it to return asylum-seekers from these countries to Turkey — which itself has a huge migrant and refugee population.

Greece tells migrants from five countries to seek asylum in Turkey. Photo: Fotomovimiento.org.

Nevertheless, despite pressure from the EU and Athens, Ankara has shown little appetite for taking back migrants who reached Greece from its territory, despite a 2016 Turkish-EU agreement that was meant to stem illegal migration into the 27-nation bloc.

Greek officials said Athens has so far this year asked Turkey to take back 1,453 people, without success.

READ MORE: Greece pushes to send 1,450 migrants back to Turkey.

Nevertheless, Migration Minister, Notis Mitarachi, described Monday’s decision as “an important step in tackling illegal migration flows” which, he said, would “force” Turkey to crack down on illegal migration and smuggling networks.

Mitarachi added that the decision “is fully in line with international law and enhances Greece’s legal arsenal against (asylum) requests by citizens of … Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Somalia, who objectively have no reason not to consider Turkey a safe country.”

Greek Migration Minister, Notis Mitarachi.

Greece and Turkey are historic regional rivals, and military tensions rose dangerously last year over marine boundaries. Athens accuses Ankara of using migration as a weapon, pointing to the Turkish government’s failed bid last year, before the military tension, to wave thousands of migrants and refugees towards Greece.

READ MORE: Greek minister claims NGOs to blame for arrival of undocumented Somali migrants.

Several human rights groups have accused Greece of illegally deporting some migrants to Turkey without letting them apply for asylum. Athens denies that.

Although a record 1 million people entered Greece through Turkey in 2015 — mostly seeking to move on to wealthier EU countries — flows have since been greatly reduced.

So far this year, just over 3,000 people have reached Greece from Turkey, mostly by sea in flimsy craft. According to the UN refugee agency, 47% were Afghans, 15% were Syrians and 9% were Somalis.

Source: AP News.

READ MORE: Greece seeks bids to build closed holding centres for migrants on islands.

Germany wants to abolish right of individual EU member states to veto

The Greek Herald
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Germany wants to abolish right of individual EU member states to veto

Germany’s foreign minister said on Monday the European Union should abolish the right of individual member states to veto foreign policy measures as the 27-nation bloc could not allow itself to be “held hostage.”

His comments, which came days after a more junior official criticised Hungary by name, reflect growing frustration in Berlin at the way in which EU member countries can prevent the bloc from acting in matters on which almost all members agree.

“We can’t let ourselves be held hostage by the people who hobble European foreign policy with their vetoes,” Heiko Maas told a conference of Germany’s ambassadors in Berlin.

Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas.

“If you do that then sooner or later you are risking the cohesion of Europe. The veto has to go, even if that means we can be outvoted.”

His remarks amount to a highly unusual rebuke by Germany of a fellow member-state. Germany, conscious of its economic and political heft within the EU, is normally very cautious about being seen to throw its weight for fear of seeming overbearing.

Hungary blocked an EU statement in April criticising China’s new security law in Hong Kong, undermining the bloc’s efforts to confront Beijing’s restrictions of freedoms in the former British colony.

Source: Ekathimerini.

Maria Sakkari crushes No.4 seed Kenin to reach first ever French Open quarter final

The Greek Herald
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Maria Sakkari crushes No.4 seed Kenin to reach first ever French Open quarter final

Maria Sakkari demolished last year’s French Open runner-up, Sofia Kenin, 6-1, 6-3 on Monday to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.

The world number 18 needed just 68 minutes to defeat the fourth-seeded American and set up a clash with reigning champion, Iga Swiatek, or Ukrainian teenager, Marta Kostyuk, for a place in the last four.

Sakkari broke Kenin six times as the 2020 Australian Open winner committed 32 unforced errors and served nine double faults.

“I’m speechless. I love Paris. I’m having a great time and I don’t want to leave anytime soon,” Sakkari, who reached the last 16 in Melbourne and New York last year, said.

“I’m actually enjoying myself, that’s the most important thing. I’m not actually torturing myself when I’m on court.”

The win over Kenin was Sakkari’s third win over a top-five player this season. It also left eighth seed Swiatek as the highest-ranked player left in the women’s draw.

“The match before yesterday gave me a lot of confidence,” Sakkari, who beat 14th seed Elise Mertens in three sets in the previous round, said.

“I played really good tennis and so today I was really ready for a battle.”

Source: YahooSport.

‘Taste of GleNTi’ kicks off a big week of Greek festivities in Darwin

Andriana Simos
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‘Taste of GleNTi’ kicks off a big week of Greek festivities in Darwin

Greek music, dancing and food filled Darwin’s Waterfront on Saturday as the ‘Taste of GleNTi’ event kicked off with thousands in attendance.

The mini festival, which was organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia, marked the official launch of a week of events leading up to the annual Darwin Greek GleNTi Festival on June 12-13 at Bicentennial Park, Darwin Esplanade.

The free event included activities like face painting, balloon making and a surprise performance by Peter Rabbit, while the ‘Honey Puff King’ also attended the event, selling special Greek foods like Greek ice coffee, honey puffs, baklava and Greek vanilla slice.

Everyone enjoyed themselves at the ‘Taste of GleNTi’ event. Photo copyright: Georgia Politis Photography. Republished with permission.

While people enjoyed their food and mingled at the souvenir stores, they were also treated to a number of eye-catching Greek dancing performances from the Greek Traditional Dance Group, the Cyprus Community Dance Group and the OPA School of Hellenic Dance Group.

READ MORE: The Darwin GleNTi’s 32 year history has been showcased in a stunning video timelapse.

A special ‘Greek Agora’ stall was even set up for the participating Greek dance groups to help them raise much needed funds to purchase the magnificent Greek costumes they use for their special dance routines.

DJ Rossi Kourounis also entertained the crowds with his upbeat and eccentric tunes.

  • Photo copyright: Georgia Politis Photography / Republished with permission.
  • Photo copyright: Georgia Politis Photography / Republished with permission.

“The mini GleNTi went exactly as I imagined it. I’m really pleased with how the vision came to fruition,” President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia, Nicholas Poniris, tells The Greek Herald.

“The buzz on the day couldn’t be captured. You had to be there to experience the enthusiasm from everyone who turned up. It was fantastic.”

READ MORE: Darwin GleNTi returns with a bang in 2021 and is set to mark Greek Revolution bicentenary.

Photo copyright: Georgia Politis Photography. Republished with permission.

Saturday’s event will be followed by a soccer match, called GleNTi Cup, on Tuesday, June 8 between fierce Football NT rivals and Grecian-based clubs, Darwin Olympic and Hellenic.

This sporting rivalry will be followed up by a concert on Wednesday, June 9, with international Greek singer, Dimitris Basis. The concert, Mr Poniris says, will mark the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution this year.

But of course, all the Greek festivities will culminate on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, when the annual Darwin Greek GleNTi Festival will be held.

Cretan Association of SA brings community together in Battle of Crete commemorative event

Argyro Vourdoumpa
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Cretan Association of SA brings community together in Battle of Crete commemorative event

With a sold-out Dinner Dance held on Saturday, 5 June at the Chian Association Hall in Rosewater, Adelaide, the Cretan Association of SA concluded its second week of commemorative events for the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete while raising vital funds for the Club.

In his opening speech for the evening, the Association’s President, Pantelis Fridakis welcomed the attendees and special guests, before he went on to talk about on the importance of the Battle of Crete and the bravery of those who participated. 

“Putting on events like this, it’s not an easy task,” said Fridakis thanking the committee members and volunteers for their efforts and ongoing commitment.

“As you are aware, the last 18 months have been tough for all of us both personally and professionally. Our club was shut for a year and this is the second event we were able to do so far, so I thank each and every one of you for helping us keep the club’s doors open,” he said. 

Special guests included Fr Ioannis Choraitis from the Greek Orthodox Community of The Nativity of Christ Port Adelaide, Fr Chris Tsoraklidis from St Dimitrios Greek Orthodox Parish of Salisbury, Commander Fernando González from the Australian Air Force with his wife and Megan Spencer, the producer of a podcast series about war, remembrance and Australian prisoners of war in Germany during the Second World War.

Addressing the attendees, Commander González, said that being Cretan and wearing the traditional outfit is equivalent to wearing a uniform and medals, while in lieu of a Soldiers Roll of Honour he mentioned -in Greek- the places where the Allied Forces fought to keep the invaders off the Cretan soil. Speeches were also given by Fr Tsoraklidis and Megan Spencer.

The event concluded with music, traditional delicacies prepared by the volunteers and Cretan dances performed by the Association’s Dance Group.

The next commemorative event which will include a ‘Mnimosino’ followed by a screening of the Battle of Crete Documentary is set to take place on Sunday 13 June at the Holy Monastery of St Nectarios, Croydon Park. 

21-year-old, Dylan Birbas, avoids jail for six counts of drug trafficking

The Greek Herald
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21-year-old, Dylan Birbas, avoids jail for six counts of drug trafficking

Dylan Birbas, 21, was “very lucky” to avoid jail in the Adelaide District Court on June 4 after he was caught dealing cocaine, MDMA, marijuana and magic mushrooms.

According to The Advertiser, the court heard Birbas was stopped by police on August 25, 2020 in Adelaide and a search of his car found “468kg of female cannabis,” “850g of marijuana” and “25.5g of magic mushrooms.”

Police later searched Birbas’ house and according to Judge Adam Kimber, they found a backpack in his bedroom containing “magic mushrooms weighing 96.9g” and “two amounts of cocaine…”

The court heard police also found 99 MDMA capsules, empty resealable bags and electronic scales.

Dylan Birbas avoided jail in the Adelaide District Court for six counts of drug trafficking. Photo: Facebook.

“You are not what is sometimes called an impoverished street level dealer – you appear to have been relatively organised,” Judge Kimber said.

“You were able to obtain four different drugs and were trafficking in each – you were selling to support your lifestyle.”

The Morphett Vale local had previously pleaded guilty to six counts of drug trafficking. The court heard the current offending breached Birbas’ two-year good behaviour bond, which he was sentenced to in September 2019 for drug trafficking.

But the court also heard Birbas, who had spent four months in custody, had employment available to him and had returned negative drug tests during his time on home detention bail.

“You are still a young man who has shown some early signs of rehabilitation,” Judge Kimber said.

Judge Kimber sentenced Birbas to three years and five months jail, with a non-parole period of 22-months. He ordered the sentence be served on home detention.

“You are very lucky not to be going to jail for a considerable period of time… Don’t waste the chance you’ve been given,” Judge Kimber said.

Source: The Advertiser.

On This Day in 1822: Konstantinos Kanaris torches the Turkish flagship

The Greek Herald
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On This Day in 1822: Konstantinos Kanaris torches the Turkish flagship

By Ilektra Takuridu.

The burning of the Ottoman flagship took place on the night from the 6th to 7th of June 1822 just off the Greek island of Chios.

The episode, which happened during the Greek War of Independence, was a retaliation for the massacre of Greeks living in Chios, that occurred two months earlier. In the burning of the flagship, 2,000 Ottoman sailors were slain, including the famous Nasuhzade Ali Pasha.

Torching the Turkish flagship:

The Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire began in March 1821. It was an 8 year battle often referred to as ‘agonas‘ – “the struggle.” The revolution would result in Greece’s independence from the Ottomans after over 400 years of oppression.

In 1822, a year after the beginning of the war, Ottoman armies landed on and attacked the Greek island of Chios, killing around 30,000 locals and around 50,000 Greeks were kidnapped and sold as slaves in Izmir and Istanbul.

The burning of the Turkish flagship by Kanaris, painting by Ivan Aivazovsky (1881). Source: San Simera.

Konstantinos Kanaris was a Greek admiral, Prime Minister, and Greek War of Independence hero. He came to popularity and obtained hero status after the burning of the Ottoman ship.  

Unlike most other major personalities of the War, Kanaris had never been inducted into the Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends), which played an important part in the uprising against the Ottoman Empire. The society was crucial in the uprising, mainly due to the secret recruitment of followers against Turkish authority, so it was even more impressive that Kanaris acted independently.

Kanaris himself planned to avenge those lost in the Chios massacre and organised 64 ships from Hydra, Psara, and Spetses to meet at Psara at the end of April and wait for an opportunity to strike the Ottoman forces.

Kanaris and Andreas Pipinos took control of the operation and after several failed attempts, an opportunity arose on the night of June 6 to June 7, 1822.

Biography of Konstantinos Kanaris written in French, Paris 1925. Source: Argolykos Archival Library of History and Culture.

Turkish officers gathered on the flagship of the Turkish armada to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Pipinos attempted to burn the flagship’s rear, but despite significant damage it did not sink because the crew quickly saw the fireboat.

On the other hand, Kanaris managed to attach a ship he set alight to the Ottoman flagship. The Ottoman flagship ‘Mansue al-liwa’ was an 84 gun ship and was full of gunpowder storage.

The flames from Kanaris’ fire-boat reached the gunpowder storage, causing an explosion and sinking the ship. Approximately 2,000 men on board were killed, including Kara Ali, the perpetrator of the Chios massacre.

Kanaris’ victory was quickly spread around Europe. His action inspired famous European artists like Eugene Delacroix, Victor Hugo and Von Hess. A British historian wrote that he is the most outstanding and important representation of Greece’s courageousness and bravery.

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